Guayaquil, Ecuador

Guayaquil, Ecuador
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecuador_Guayaquil_slum_and_city_view_October_2009.jpg
Author: Michael Shick


Guayaquil is the biggest city in Ecuador, with a population of 2.3 million people within its city limits and 3.1 within the entire metropolitan area. It is also the main seaport of the country. The city serves as the provincial capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton.

Guayaquil is located on the Guayas River, just 64 km (40 mi) to the north of the Gulf of Guayaquil. It is near the Equator. The city has a tropical savanna climate. Being in the lowland, it is generally hot and humid year round, with little variation in average temperature, which ranges from 21°C (69°F) to 32°C (89°F). The wet season is from January to March, with March being the wettest month, receiving 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain. July to November is the dry season.

View of Guayaquil, Ecuador, from Cerro de Santa Ana
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guayas_from_Santa_Ana.JPG
Author: Marc Figueras


The Guayaquil area had a native village when the Spanish under conquistador Francisco de Orellana established the settlement of Muy Noble y Miy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Guayaquil (Most Noble and Most Loyal City of St James of Guayaquil) on 25 July, 1538. As with many of the Spanish towns in Central America, Guayaquil suffered from regular plundering staged by English and French pirates.

In 1820 the people of Guayaquil staged an uprising against the royalist guards, and almost without bloodshed, unilaterally declared its independence from Spain. This sowed the seed for the Ecuadorian War of Independence.

Today Guayaquil is one of Ecuador's biggest commercial center. It is also developing itself as a major tourist destination. The city is however plagued with high unemployment and underemployment.

Parque Historico Guayaquil
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parque_Hist%C3%B3rico_Guayaquil_-_Explanada_(1).JPG
Author: Freddy eduardo

Visiting Guayaquil

The José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, located 5 km to the north of downtown Guayaquil, has the newest airport terminal in Ecuador, and has been voted the best airport in South America. It receives regular services from Amsterdam, Baltra, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Cuenca, Esmeraldas, Latacunga, Lima, Loja, Madrid, Miami, New York-JFK, Panama City, Quito, San Cristóbal, San José de Costa Rica, San Salvador, Santa Rosa and Santiago de Chile, among others. The taxi from airport to downtown Guayaquil is quite affordable, at just around $3.

Places of Interest in Guayaquil

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